proved in Abraham Gen. 17.10 11. with whom we read that God first made an expresse and formall Covenant and instituted a signe or seale to signifie enterance into that Covenant and distinguish the Church from other Societies And this was not required of Abraham alone and his family but of all foreiners also that so soone as they should enter into covenant they should have this signe and seale of admittance Exod. 12.48 And still in the New-Testament as soone as men had given evidence of their entrance into the new Covenant they were baptized Now here is to be noted that the Covenant of grace was ever one and the same for substance though for the manner it have beene variously dispensed Heb. 11. through the whole Chapter and Heb. 13.8 Ephes 4.5 as shall be shewed God willing more fully hereafter Secondly before Abrahams time we read not of any distinct and full manifestation of the Covenant of grace expresly in the termes of a Covenant nor of any gathering of a Church out of the world as a distinct body whereunto the faithfull were to joyn themselves nor of any visible seale or sacred signe of admission into Covenant with God though God had a people in covenant from the beginning yet the covenant was more sparingly obscurely and implicitly revealed and no distinctive outward note of entrance into covenant that we read of appointed Thirdly since the Covenant was made with Abraham and the signe of circumcision instituted in the old and new Covenant there hath still beene a solemne signe or Sacrament of admission to which all that were in Covenant had right so that Abraham that was the first expresse Covenanter is called the father of the faithfull or of those that were in covenant with God and is to be imitated by the faithfull in all those things that are essentiall to the covenant For the Assumption The words of the Text are cleare First that God made the Covenant with Abraham and his seed Gen. 17.7 Secondly that we should not thinke that that externall covenant belonged onely to those that imitated his faith it is made with his naturall seed all that should be begotten of him Gen. 17.10 Even all that seed wherein God promised to make Abraham fruitfull should so farre be in Covenant as to have right to the onward signe untill they should fall away from the outward covenant by wilfull Apostasie vers 6 7 10. Thirdly that you may see this was not peculiar to Abraham and his posteritie alone that proceeded from his loines the same is commanded concerning his servants borne in his house or bought with his money that the males who onely were capable should receive the seale of the Covenant vers 12 13. Fourthly that you may know that this did not belong onely to Abrahams family but was a thing common to all that should enter into covenant viz. that their children should be acknowledged to be in Covenant also by having the seale of entrance administred to them see Exod. 12.48 Lastly that we may understand that this was not proper to the old covenant in the Legall dispensation but common to the Covenant of grace under whatsoever dispensation as well Evangelicall as Legall a promise of the same priviledge is made to beleeving parents even from the time of the Gospel Esa 50.20 21. compared with Rom. 11.26 27. A. R. Now I come to your answers which is That neither Abraham nor his seed was circumcised because the Covenant was made with him Answ Who denies this or what is this to the purpose we know that God might have made a Covenant without a seale if it had pleased him They were circumcised because God did institute circumcision for a seale and appointed it to those that were admitted into Covenant The faithfull we know were in covenant before Abrahams time though there be no formall or full expression of the covenant nor of any signe or Sacrament of entering thereinto You adde a reason of your assertion For the covenant was made with Abraham above twenty yeares before circumcision was instituted as may appeare by comparing Gen. 12.2 3. with Gen. 16.3 17.25 Answ No such thing appeareth in the places cited It appeareth indeed that God had made a promise to Abraham long before of making him a great Nation and blessing him but there is no word of the Covenant or that God would be a God to him and his seed in those places before Gen. 17.2 though we know that Abraham from his first call was in covenant with God as were Abel Enoch Noah and all the faithfull before Abraham as the covenant is generally taken But here we speake of the Covenant in regard of its expresse manifestation and speciall administration with Abraham and afterward since the institution of a seale thereunto And it appears that in Gen. 17. vers 2. is the first expression of Gods making a covenant with Abraham at which time also circumcision was instituted And if God had made a covenant never so long before with Abraham neither he not his seed must have used circumcision untill God had instituted it But after God had appointed it all that were in covenant were to be circumcised that were capable even all males of eight dayes old and upward You say The covenant was not made with Abraham for his being a faithfull man but for his being such a faithfull man whom the Lord was pleased to chuse and set out as a patterne to all beleevers Rom. 4.23 24. and to be a father of many Nations Rom. 4.17 18. and in whose seed all the Nations of the world should be blessed Act. 5.25 13.23 to wit in Christ who was to come of his flesh Answ We know that the Covenant was not made with Abraham for his being a faithfull man neither yet for his being such a faithfull man c. as you would have it But Abraham was made by God a faithfull man and taken into covenant of Gods free grace that he might be a patterne to future beleevers and a father of many Nations c. Abrahams faithfulnesse so qualified was not the cause why God took him into covenant But Abrahams faithfulnesse acceptance into covenant and being a patterne of beleevers a father of many Nations in whose seed all Nations are blessed were effects of Gods good pleasure and free grace Secondly neither doe those places of Scripture produced by you yeeld the least shew of proofe that Abraham was taken into covenant and his seed for being such a faithfull man as God was pleased to choose and set out a patterne to all beleevers c. Thirdly seeing Abraham was taken into covenant that he might be or at the most as being I dare not say with you for being such a faithfull man whom the Lord was pleased to choose and set out a patterne to all beleevers and to be a father of many Nations and in whose seed all the Nations of the world should be blessed then
of the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1.7 1 Cor. 1.2 c. Secondly that the reason why these children are said to be holy is the faith of the parents or one parent at least to whom the other parent is sanctified by vertue of the beleeving parents faith according to those generall rules 1 Tim. 4.4 5. Tit. 1.15 Whence it was that the beleeving yoke-fellow had the lawfull and sanctified use of the unbeleeving yoke-fellow For though it be unlawfull for a beleever to marry an infidell 2 Cor. 6.14 Yet when of unbeleevers who were married together in the time of infidelitie one is called the other is not the calling of the one to grace doth not dissolve or annihilate their marriage which is Gods ordinance and therefore good if the unbeleever be content to live in marriage fellowship with the beleeving mate So that Gods Covenant with the beleeving parent or parents is the ground of the childes holinesse for as hath beene touched before in regard of externall covenant with God the state of the parents or better parent and of the child is the same If the parent be in Covenant the child though by nature the child of wrath yet by Gods grace is borne in Covenant and so he and his posteritie continues untill any of them cast themselves and their posteritie out of Covenant by Apostasie The child that is borne of parents out of Covenant remaines out of Covenant unlesse either the parents or some that are in stead of parents being called of God give up themselves and the child unto God or the child coming to yeares of discretion be called into the Covenant in his owne person Thirdly Hence it followeth that the holinesse of the children of beleeving parents is not necessarily internall and reall holinesse so that it be externall and faederall it sufficeth to make them members of the visible Church For as of those Corinthians and others that are called Saints we cannot infallibly gather that all were internally sanctified it was sufficient to make them externall members that they were both Saints by calling so it is sufficient to make the children so farre holy as to be members of the Church and outwardly in Covenant if their parents were outwardly in Covenant What is inwardly wrought it is not for man to judge Now let us see what A. R. objecteth to this place of Scripture A. R. For answer you lay down some grounds as First There is but one Covenant now on foot which is the Covenant of grace and salvation Heb. 7.22 8.13 10.9 Answ We grant you this and more too Namely that never since Adams fall was there any Covenant properly so called made with mankind by God but the Covenant of grace and salvation Where read you of any Covenant of works and damnation Secondly You say That there is but one manner of entering and being in the Covenant Ioh. 3.3.5.6 Heb. 10.19 20 21 22. Answ True If you meane being in that Covenant inwardly spiritually and savingly and the same ever was the manner of being and entering into Covenant since Adams fall viz. by Iesus Christ or regeneration Thirdly You say There is but one holinesse now acceptable unto God which is inward spirituall and in truth without which no outward obedience or conformitie to any worship is warrantable or acceptable Ioh. 4.23 24. Heb. 11.6 Answ If you understand it of such warrantablenesse as finds acceptation with God in the party performing it as your latter seemes to expresse the former This is not questioned nor denied by any that I know But why doe you limit your propositions by the particle Now as if though now outward obedience and conformitie to any ordinance be not acceptable without inward holinesse yet it sometimes had been which is utterly untrue as may appeare Gen. 4. Psal 50. and 51. Esa 1. Ier. 6. and almost every where Now you come directly to answer Hence say you it followes that if beleevers children be in Covenant and have true holinesse then they are all saved old and young But all beleevers children are not saved no not of faithfull Abraham himselfe Esa 10.21 with Rom. 9.27 Therefore the children of beleevers are not in the Covenant now on foot nor ought to be baptized Answ You might as well reason thus If Simon Magus Ananias and Sapphira with many other hypocrites in the Primitive Churches whom yet the Apostles baptized and called Saints and faithfull were in the Covenant and had this true holinesse or were truly Saints then they must needs be all saved But they were not all saved Therefore they were no beleevers or Saints nor in the Covenant now on foot and therefore should not have beene baptized The Apostles belike wanted you to direct and controll them and shew whom they should have baptized and whom not Secondly I answer directly Though true holinesse be necessarie for spirituall and internall being in Covenant and for eternall salvation yet the outward holinesse of the party consisting in externall being in Covenant is sufficient to warrant a Minister to baptize otherwise he should never have warrant to baptize for none knowes the heart so as to judge of inward holinesse infallibly but God You adde that we object notwithstanding all this that you have said Why may not infants be in the Covenant outwardly having faederall holinesse and in that sense be holy and so to be admitted to the outward ordinance of baptisme as infants were unto circumcision in time of the Law and in the State of the Iewes To this you answer That the State or the Church of the Iewes were under the old Covenant and Law and stood not by faith or circumcision of the heart as this of the Gospel doth but stood meerly upon nature and the circumcision of the flesh and accordingly had their outward and faederall holinesse and outward cleansings all which were abolished with their State and no such holinesse or distinction is now between any persons in the world Answ Secondly though they were under the old Covenant legally dispensed wherein grace was more obscurely and sparingly communicated to Gods people then it is under the Gospel yet the old Covenant was a Covenant of grace which all must needs grant unlesse they thinke that the Patriarks Prophets and that holy nation of the Iews were a gracelesse people out of favour with God either not at all saved or saved by workes For there is no way to be saved but by grace or workes and no salvation by grace but in a Covenant of grace But I hope you will not be so blasphemous as to say this Secondly If the old Covenant stood not by faith to use your phrase and circumcision of the heart how is it that God promiseth circumcision of the heart Deut. 30.6 and living by faith Hab. 2.4 and the Prophets call upon the people for circumcision of the heart Ier. 4.4 and for faith Psal 37. Esa 7. 2 Chron. 20. and that the
it is the dutie of all that are beleevers children of Abraham and will be blessed in Abrahams seed that is Christ to imitate Abrahams example in laying hold on the covenant for themselves and their children and giving them up to God even in their infancie by requiring the seale of the Covenant to be administred unto them and not to loose any part of that inheritance that God entayled upon Abraham and his children seeing as it hath been proved it is no peculiar priviledge of Abraham to have his seed in covenant nor his peculiar dutie to lay hold on the covenant for his children but the common priviledge and dutie of all the faithfull You proceed Therefore though the promises were made to Abraham and his seed yet the consequence will not follow that the covenant is likewise made with all beleevers and their seed for beleevers onely are the seed and the seed onely and none of them a father in the Gospel sense nor any other save onely Abraham to whom and his seed the covenant and promises were made Answ First If the consequence will not follow Because God is the God of Abraham and his seed Therefore he is to all the faithfull and their seed how is Abraham a father of the faithfull and patterne of beleevers Or how will it follow that Abraham performed any dutie or received any priviledge Therefore all beleevers ought to doe those duties may receive those priviledges Secondly your reason that you bring for your deniall of our consequence is a bold assertion manifestly repugnant to plain Scripture as Exod. 20.5.6 Where God having laid downe the summe of the covenant vers 2. bindes his people to his true worship and to avoid Idolatrie with a promise of mercy unto thousands of those that should love him and keepe his commandements Now these thousands are meant of the godly mans posteritie as appeareth by the Antithesis of vers 5. visiting the sinnes of the fathers on their children unto the third and fourth generation c. Doth not this promise belong to all that are in covenant with God and are bound to the obedience of the morall Law and to the pure worship of God and abstinence from idolatry so Esa 59. last vers Act. 2.37 What is meant by Gods shewing mercy to a thousand generations making a covenant that his Spirit and word shall be continued to their seed and seeds seed that the promise is made to them whom the Lord doth call and their children but the same that God promiseth unto Abraham that he will make a covenant with him and his seed be a God to him and his seed So that this answer to your boldly-affirmed but never-proved assertion that to Abraham and his seed onely the promise was made may suffice to overthrow the inferences you bring thereupon and your absurdities that you would father upon us mingled with divers untruths as may appeare to any intelligent Reader not worth answering Onely that which you lay downe in the beginning For beleevers onely are the seed and in the conclusion Abraham hath not two sorts of seeds in the sense and acceptation of the Gospel Vpon which as upon a ground-work of all your reasoning is built that the rottennesse of the foundation being discovered it may appeare how easily the superstruction will come down of it selfe I answer therefore Answ We read in the Gospell or new Testament of three sorts of Abrahams seed First Christ is called his seed Gal. 3.16 Secondly the faithfull of what Nation soever are called his seed Gal. 3.29 Thirdly those who naturally desended from his loynes Iohn 8.37 2. Cor. 11.22 And in this last kind to be Abrahams seed was sufficient to intresse men to the outward Covenant and the seale thereof and the promise was made to Abraham Gen. 17. literally and properly in this last sense not in the first or second as is apparent by the text For with that seed God made the Covenant in Abraham and to that seed God became a God which was to be circumcised at eight dayes old in respect of the males as you say the females in the males But the natural issue of Abraham was to be circumcised at 8 dayes old in respect of the males in them the females See Gen. 17.7.10.11.12 for proofe of both propositions Therfore the naturall issue of Abraham is the seed to which according to the litteral and proper meaning of the Scripture God promises to be a God in Covenant And so it appeares to be false which you say that beleevers only were the seed of Abraham sith many naturally descending from Abraham and circumcised and so outwardly in Covenant were unbeleevers You add that wee say Infants were then members of the Church and demand when they were cast out to which you answer that they were cast out when the Iewes Church-state and old Covenant was abrogate by the comming of Christ and preaching of the Gospell and planting of other Churches farre different from that of the Iewes in many respects Answ But I hope Gods people are not so simple as to beleeve your bare words against Gods expresse truth though you were an Angell from heaven or an Apostle Gal. 1. â— much lesse being as you are discovered and to think that in former times indeed Infants were in Covenant with God but now are excluded that now all Infants of christian parents dying without actuall faith and under yeares of discretion must certainly perish as aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and out of Covenant with God that grace is so farre straitned under the Gospell in comparison of what it was under the law that whereas God was then a God to parents and to children even to many generations yea to the children of Proselytes Exod. 12.48 of what Nation soever now the holyest Christian parents can apprehend no benefit from the Covenant for their children at least till they come to yeares of discretion and actuall faith and till then must accompt them infidells and wholly under the power of the devill Is this to advance Gods Grace to extoll the Gospell and glorifie Iesus Christ Or rather is it not a tricke of the devill greatly to obscure and indeavour the utter extinguishing of the glory of Gods grace the virtue of Christs death the lustre of the Gospell and the comfort of a Christian all at once They that will hearken to such deceits as these let them make account at the last to be cheated of all grounds of comfort in Gods word Act. 2.39 Doth not the Apostle say the promise is to you and your children and to them that are afarre off c. when the Iewes Church-state and old Covenant were abrogated But let us come to consider the many respects wherein you say that the Church of the Gospell differs from the Iewish state or old Covenant whence you would prove that Infants are now cast out of Covenant wherein because you repeat for substance some toyes and